impost n.

1580s, "swindler, cheat," from French imposteur (16c.), from Late Latin impostor "a deceiver," agent noun from impostus, contraction of impositus, past participle of imponere "place upon, impose upon, deceive," from assimilated form of in- "into, in, on, upon" (from PIE root *en "in") + ponere "to put, place" (past participle positus; see position (n.)). Meaning "one who passes himself off as another" is from 1620s. Related: Impostrous. For a fem. form, Bacon uses French-based impostress (1610s) while Fuller, the church historian, uses Latinate impostrix (1650s).

1795, "warehouse or storehouse for receiving goods for storage, sale, or transfer," from French dépôt "a deposit, place of deposit," from Old French depost "a deposit or pledge," from Latin depositum "a deposit," noun use of neuter past participle of deponere "lay aside, put down," from de "away" (see de-) + ponere "to put, place" (past participle positus; see position (n.)).

Military sense of "fort where stores, ammunition, etc. are deposited" is from 1798; meaning "railway station, building for accommodation and shelter of passengers and the receipt and transfer of freight" is attested by 1842, American English.

"act of willfully deceiving others," 1530s, from French imposture or directly from Late Latin impostura "deceit," from impostus (see impost (n.)). Related: Imposturous.